Thursday's focus was on the part of the ordinance that requires establishments to be located 500 feet from any park, school, day care facility or area zoned residential or mixed use neighborhood.

If adopted the ordinance would only apply to new establishments.

Existing shops like the Last Place on Earth would be grandfathered in.

One committee member did argue the city should focus instead on banning synthetic drugs.

"The way I look at is, counties, and cities and other states have dry counties where they limit the usage of alcoholic substances or prohibit them all together and I would like to see us be able to work in that direction to altogether prohibit the usage of those substances," said Garner Moffat, a committee member.

There will be a committee of the whole meeting on Monday at 5:30 pm to discuss the ordinance further.

After that, the city council will have a second reading of the ordinance at their meeting on Monday where a vote is expected.

On Friday the discussion will continue on the state lever. Attorney General Lori Swanson will be in Duluth for a public hearing about synthetic drugs. The meeting will be at the Sheraton at 2 pm.